Camping trailers or the mobile housing units heretofore provided have generally fallen into three basic type categories. The primary type is the self-contained, wheeled trailer that is adapted to be pulled by an automotive vehicle. Such a trailer is essentially independent as to its structure and function with only a mechanical connection for attachment to a vehicle for towing purposes and perhaps electrical connections to utilize electrically controlled brakes and lights that are powered and controlled from the towing vehicle. These self-contained trailers are provided in many different sizes depending upon the number of occupants desired to be accommodated and other living facilities that may be desired in any particular instance by the particular owner or user. A second major type of camping unit is that which is adapted to be mounted on and directly supported by an automotive vehicle. These units are commonly of the type adapted to interfit with a pick-up type truck body, although many are also adapted to interfit with a conventional passenger automobile body. These units are generally of a smaller type and capacity than self-contained units, although some may be sufficiently large as to require auxiliary supporting wheels to minimize the weight added to the primary automotive vehicle. A third type of mobile home or camping unit is the more recently developed type designated as a recreational vehicle and is fully self-contained as to the living quarters and the motive power system. These units in general are relatively large and are a single purpose type of vehicle.
Several problems are associated with the three basic types of camping trailers or camping units heretofore provided and, while these problems do not detract from their essential basic functional use, they nevertheless are of a practical nature requiring consideration. One major factor is that the units heretofore provided, such as the self-contained trailers or the self-contained recreational vehicles, are generally of a very large size, and thus, they require a large towing vehicle as to the self-contained trailer or the motive power system must be comparatively large in the recreational vehicle type. Also, a disadvantage of the self-contained recreational vehicle is that it is a single purpose vehicle and if additional or secondary transportation is desired, this must be provided by other vehicles that are either obtained at the temporary location of the vehicle or must be carried with the recreational vehicle.
The camping units which are designed for direct mounting onto a carrying vehicle such as a pick-up truck have the advantage that they are not then considered to limit that vehicle to a single purpose. However, during the time that a carried-type of unit is mounted on a vehicle, that vehicle then has the limited functional disadvantage of the fully self-contained recreational vehicle.
Another major factor to consider with respect to the previously provided types of trailers or camping units is that these units must be of a relatively large size in that the unit itself must provide all of the space necessary to house the occupants. The towing vehicle or carrying unit is generally limited to that function and, in the case of either the self-contained trailer or the mounted-type of unit, there is no effective utilization of the space in the transporting or towing vehicle for a housing function in cooperation with the trailer or camping unit. This particular problem is not associated with the fully self-contained recreational vehicle which is a single purpose, totally integrated type unit.
While the camping trailers and camping units heretofore provided are entirely utilizable in their intended functions, with recognition of their respective limitations, there has been a recent and very significant change in passenger-type automotive vehicle design. This change is that a greater number of such automotive vehicles are of a much smaller size than formerly available while it is the larger sizes of vehicles that are required for towing or carrying of these camping trailers or camping units of the heretofore provided designs. The automotive vehicles that now form a larger share of the market are of the compact or subcompact sizes and these are generally inadequate from the standpoint of physical size and engine power to tow a trailer of the conventional sizes and configurations. Consequently, for those desiring to maintain their activities requiring use of camping or travel trailers, it has become necessary to consider obtaining of a second vehicle, which is of a size and engine power to be capable of towing the larger size trailers or to carry a camping unit. Alternatively, it has become necessary to consider obtaining a recreational vehicle as a single purpose, self-contained unit. Again, the economics of the recreational vehicle are such that this alternative is essentially not available to many people because the financial aspect is prohibitive. The objective of obtaining a small compact car is for purposes of economy and thus the obtaining of either the recreational vehicle or a larger automobile or pick-up truck presents an unacceptable solution to the problem.
With the advent of the smaller sized automotive vehicle for purposes of economy, the problem presented to those interested in maintaining their camping or travel trailer operations has been essentially insurmountable as the units heretofore available where not adaptable to the small size economy cars. It is this problem that has prompted the development of a compact, and lightweight trailer such as that provided by this invention and which integrates with the towing vehicle for maximum utilization of the interior compartment space of trailer and towing vehicle. The trailers of this invention through their aerodynamic configuration are adaptable to and conform with the towing capacities and the economy of operation of smaller automotive vehicles.